Driving

[kcoffiner]

I want to start driving again-any tips in making this possible (dry eyes)? Thanks!

[irish]

Why did you stop driving? Do you have such sore eyes that they burn and irritate and interfere with your driving? I havae trouble with night driving, but am able at times to drive to town and back because I know the road. I would not drive in a snowstorm or rainstorm at night.

Are you on Restasis and other drops in between? Just make sure to have a really good pair of sunglasses that prevent glare and protect your eyes so they don't fatigue so soon. Start out slowly when traffic isn't bad and on the slower roads til you get your road legs back.

I have had to avoid the fast paced traffic in the big cities, but since I have been on my Prednisone every other day and with my infusions I am having less problem with this and am able to drive more. I have found that I drive slower and plan ahead and really drive a lot more defensively. I have also found that when I do something that is in the realm of stupid I something that other people have done to me over the years) that I am very hard on myself.

There is no driver that is perfect, but when we have eye issues we have to know enough to avoid driving on the days that we know we aren't up to snuff. That is about all I can say about it. Hope others offer you more help. Irish

[Billydude]

Thats it!!!   Today was the last day for me to drive.   I nearly killed myself.  I had to go to a doctors appointment an hour and a half away over mountain hairpin turns and I was all over the road and fell asleep on the mountain road on a curve and ended up totally in the other lane.   Why does this happen!!!!     I could have had a head on collision.    I was on my way to my therapist and was in tears when I got there.     Its hard to realize and give up something!     
Steve

[irish]

Steve, I am so sorry to hear of your bad day. Thankfully, you were not hurt. I can't imagine the scare you had when you woke up suddenly. I am wondering if anyone has ever suggested putting you on Cylert or Provigil? These 2 drugs are used to give a person more energy and help keep a person awake and moving. It might be worth discussing this with your therapist.

Many times the fatigue issues are so bad and can be attributed to poor sleeping. Have you had a sleep study done. Also, if you are having a lot of day sleepiness it might be worth your while to check on havingn EEG to check for Narcolepsy. This is another "blessed" disease that can travel in the pack of autoimmune issues. Please let us know how things go. It is really rotten to not be able to drive. There have been so many times hubby has had to take me even to get groceries. Yuck!! Irish

[Billydude]

Hi Irish.  Thanks for your concern.  I actually sleep pretty well so and it only happens when I drive.  I think its part of the cranial neuropathy that I have.    Its funny you mention Provigil because just yesterday after my scary experience I made another you-tube video and talk about my bad experience with Provigil.
This will link you to it....
Steve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjW7wOPZ6ps

[Gerri]

Billydude, I sleep really well also, have insomnia, and severe sleep apnea.  Here in Canada, if your sleep apnea is not controlled, your lisence will be yanked.  It's nearly impossible to know how well your sleeping.  Sleep Apnea, is a breathing disorder, that stops you breathing.  I stop breathing 41/hour that's 328 times per eight hours.  They asked how often I would wake up during the night I say 5 times.  When I stop breaking I would wake up coughing, to try and get air.  I was a heavy snorer.  My son has sleep apnea, and he doesn't snore at all.  He has seizures because of his sleep apnea.

These micro naps are good sign that you might have sleep disturbance problem.  As I am not a doctor, or sleep clinic technician.  If your tired all the time, this is one test doctor most frequently send you to, and then they go from there.

Hugs

Gerri

[Billydude]

I'll ask my rhumy about it.  She mentioned something about a test last time but never followed through.   I don't sleep alone and I'm told I sleep fine unless I'm having a head night sweat kind of night.  I really think it has to do with my cranial neuropathy.  Often I have a numbness in the back of my head and a sort of vertigo.   My sense is that its really that.
But thanks for the advise.   Its worth checking out I suppose. 

[genko_b]

Sorry to hear about your near miss, Steve. Yesterday I had a scare myself. Not a near miss, unfortunately. I collided with another car in an intersection. It was a four-way stop and witnesses tell me I stopped just as I was supposed to and then pulled out right into another car.

Fortunately a friend was there and happened to see it and helped me through the next couple of hours. But I am not looking forward to explaining to my sister why I will be driving a rental car for a bit ("I told you you shouldn't be driving!") , or my neurologist, who has been thinking about re-testing on the cognitive issues. It is very difficult, especially since I rely on driving to do my work - among other things I do prison ministry and can't exactly ask the guys to come see me!

So I'll have yet another conversation with my neurologist about it. It is hard to say at what point I'll know I can't drive at all; I don't think I'm there yet. A number of people have offered to drive me whenever I need it, and I'm pretty good about asking for help, but I still like to get around on my own if possible.

Figuring this stuff out is quite a process, isn't it?

Genko

[Katybarstool]

Genko

I'm really sorry to hear about your crash, but relieved that you are ok. To drive or not to drive, it's just such a difficult one, isn't it? I'm seriusly considering not doing night driving in the autumn 'in-between'light. It really hurts my eyes. Do you have problems driving in the dark/dazzling headlights?

Kathyx

[Billydude]

Wow Genko.  I'm sorry to hear about that.    Perhaps there is someone you can offer to pay to drive you around.   I started doing that on my longer trips.
Steve

[LenV]

Genko,
I'm sure glad you weren't hurt!!!

Katy, I made the decision to stop driving at night about two years ago.  When I look at headlights they look like one of the firework sparklers and it's painful to try to look at them.  Most of the time I can find someone to drive or I just don't go if it's an issue.  My neuropathy is usually in full drive by that time of the day anyway and I don't enjoy things at night.

Billye

[genko_b]

Thanks everyone for all your concern.  No one was injured, fortunately, except the two vehicles.

As far as headlights at night are concerned, I used to have a terrible time with them, but since being on the CellCept my night vision is much better. Overall the CellCept really seems to help with my neurological issues. It raised me to a much higher level of functioning, but I still see a slow decline over time. Not back to where I was before the CellCept, by any means.

Under the Cognitive Issues topic I posted an article I read today about the effect of anti-depressants and depression on driving. Pretty much anything that takes up psychic space can distract us from complete focus on the driving - fatigue, pain, anxiety, mood swings, cell phones, kids, or whatever - so I guess we just have to mindful about managing the mix on any given day, and know our limits, which will be different for each of us.

Anyway, I plan to drive to the prison Thursday and Friday, and over the mountains Saturday. My sister is kindly loaning me her car (our aunt's old car) for the mountain trip, since I've driven it through the mountains and across country before, so am more familiar with it than the insurance rental I've got right now. So she is supportive of me continuing to drive.

Everyone take care, and be careful out there.

Genko